We know that a trip to Australia and New Zealand is usually a 'once in a lifetime' holiday - let's face it the flight alone takes a day of your life! No matter what your budget is - and how you decide to spend it - you can still have the experience of a lifetime. Here's our guide to alternative activities to suit both ends of your budget.
New Zealand’s Fox Glacier is based on the West Coast of the South Island. The nearby town is also named Fox Glacier, and has a lazy, laid back feel with inspiring views over Mt Cook and Mt Tasman. Fox Glacier itself is 12km long and falls from the Southern Alps down to the coast. It’s one of the only glaciers to end in lush rainforest and also one of the most accessible glaciers to visit, so you may as well do it in style. Fly by helicopter to reach a higher, more spectacular part of this ice formation – more caves, more caverns, more colours. Travelling by helicopter not only gives you the chance to see the glacier from a bird’s eye view (plus it’s an adrenaline rush in itself!) but also gives you the opportunity to explore more ice formations on foot than if you trek up from the bottom. See if you can spot a Hobbit or too whilst you’re there! Need more? There’s also the chance to take a flight to the high altitude alpine snowfields.
Going on holiday on a budget needn’t mean you miss out on those ‘must have’ experiences. If you’ve hired a vehicle you can sleep for less than £10 a night next to Australia’s heart under Mother Nature’s blanket – the stars. Even if you haven’t got wheels, there are plenty of tour operators that cater for those on a tighter budget. Most people start their journey from Alice Springs which is actually a large 450km drive away. The scenery en-route is rather nice although somewhat flat and dusty, but it gives you a new respect for the huge, huge country that Australia is. Along with Uluru are her brother and sister – King’s Canyon and The Olgas (Kata Tjuta). The Olgas can be explored in an afternoon. Some find them even more extraordinary than Uluru – huge red domes of varying rock type. However, most won’t pass up the opportunity to watch the sun set over Uluru with a glass of bubbly followed by a cosy night under the stars in a traditional swag. In the morning, early birds will want to catch the sun rise and enjoy Uluru’s colours change with the light. You’ll get much more out a trip to Uluru by walking around it than up it – plus Aboriginal people positively discourage people climbing it. The trek round takes 2 hours and you’ll be able to absorb mysterious rock formations such as the wave rock as well as learn about Aboriginal culture through their art on this huge rock mass. Finally a trip to Australia’s centre is not complete without a trek on King’s Canyon. Just don’t forget to rest weary limbs with an ice cold bottle of beer by the campsite – perfect!
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